Prabowo Orders Mass Testing of Cassava Flour to Fight Wildfires

President Prabowo Subianto ordered a mass production trial of a cassava flour-based fire suppressant for handling forest and land fires at a meeting in Palembang, Sumatera Selatan, on Monday (24/8). He asked that production costs be submitted immediately and raised the possibility of dropping the material by helicopter, like water bombing, to test its range and effectiveness. The idea was presented by National Police Chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo, who explained that the flour-based substance could help break the elements that support combustion, making it usable to prevent and extinguish early fires. Pangdam II/Sriwijaya Ujang Darwis said the innovation was found by a Babinsa member in Lubuklinggau and had been submitted to BNPB, but production capacity remained small.